A HOMELESS mother-of-two has been sleeping in her car for eight months after fleeing domestic violence and racial abuse.

A HOMELESS mother-of-two has been sleeping in her car for eight months after fleeing domestic violence and racial abuse.

Every night Collette Batchelor leaves her friend's overcrowded home in Abbeyfield Road, Stockland Green, and climbs into her black L-Reg Rover 414 for the night.

The 28-year-old mother's pleas to remain near her children have fallen on deaf ears and she has only been offered homes miles away.

But her perilous situation was brought home when a passing car skidded on the icy road and crashed into her.

She said: "It's bitterly cold and I can't face waking up here on Christmas Day."

"I was asleep when it hit my car. Luckily I wasn't injured but it frightened the life out of me."

Collette's daily routine involves picking up her daughters, Siani-Louise, aged eight, and Tamsin, six, from their father for the school run.

She later collects and looks after them until their father returns home from work.

Collette then spends the evening with her friend before returning to her car at 10.30pm

She said: "I am lucky I get on with my children's father and have a supportive circle of friends who let me pop in and use their showers, but they haven't got room for me."

Collette left her home in Kingstanding in August 2004, fleeing an abusive partner and racial abuse from neighbours.

Custody of the children was then handed to their father because she could not provide a stable home following a nervous breakdown.

She is still receiving counselling but the council has ignored her pleas to remain near her children and her mental health support services despite letters from her GP.

Colette's plight has won her the backing of her MP Khalid Mahmood who has written to the council demanding she be housed before Christmas.

He said: "Miss Batchelor has suffered great mental and physical anguish and requires somewhere to live near her GP and family but the council refuses to recognise this fact."

The housing department has now promised to reasses her case.

A spokeswoman said: "The housing department has made offers of accommodation in line with legislation, which have been refused.

"Miss Batchelor is on the housing register and we would urge her to contact her local neighborhood office for a housing needs assessment to be carried out to ensure all her medical circumstances are taken into account. Due to her current circumstances we will liaise with Social Care and Health to see what other assistance can be given at this time."